Chengyu Liu, Ph.D.

Mission:

The Transgenic Core’s main mission is to keep up with the latest advancements in genome engineering technologies and to provide state-of-the-art services to assist NIH scientists in generating genetically engineered animal models. 

Description: 

In the past several years, the Core has successfully used the ZFN, TALEN, and CRISPR methods to generate gene-targeted mouse lines. The revolutionary CRISPR technology has enabled the Core to simultaneously target multiple genomic loci and achieve gene knockout in difficult mouse strains, such as immunocompromised mice. Besides developing these new technologies, the Core is continuing to provide a variety of services using the classical mouse genetic and reproductive methodologies, such as producing transgenic lines using the pronuclear microinjection method, generating knockout mice using ES cell-mediated homologous recombination and blastocyst microinjection, cryopreserving and resurrecting mouse lines. The Core has imported the TARGATT mouse line, which enables the insertion of a single copy transgene into a predefined genomic locus. In addition, the core also offers services for injecting stem cells or differentiated cells into immunocompromised mice for testing their ability to form teratomas or evaluating their differentiation capabilities.

Major Services:

• Creating transgenic/knockout/knockin/conditional knockout animal models
• Conducting gene-targeting experiments using the conventional homologous recombination or the new ZFN, TALEN, and CRIPSR methods
• Deriving ES/iPS cells from mouse and other animal species
• Injecting stem cells or differentiated cells into immunocompromised mice for transplantation study or tumor formation, including teratoma assays.
• Performing IVF, mouse line re-derivation, embryo microinjection, and other assisted reproductive procedures

The Transgenic Core is located in Building 10, Room 6C103C.

Published Books